Month: December 2008

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT BULGARIA

ARKA
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, December 9. /ARKA/. RA President Serge Sargsyan is to pay a
two-day visit to Sofia at the invitation of his Bulgarian counterpart
Georgi Sedefchov Parvanov.

The RA presidential press service reports that an Armenian-Bulgarian
presidential meeting will be followed by enlarged bilateral
negotiations.

The side are to sign bilateral documents and a joint news conference.

The two Presidents are to issue a joint statement on the results of
the visit. The sides are also to sign a protocol of intentions for
Days of Bulgarian Culture in Armenia next year and Days of Armenian
Culture in Bulgaria in 2010. The sides also plan to sign a work
program of cooperation in state government for 2009-2014, an agreement
on cooperation in archival science, protocol on amendments to the
agreement on abolition of double taxation of incomes and property.

The two President are also scheduled to participate in an
Armenian-Bulgarian business forum. During his two-day official visit
the Armenian leader will have a business dinner party with Bulgarian
Premier Sergey Stanishev and hold a meeting with Chairman of the
Bulgarian National Assembly Georgi Pirinski. President S. Sargsyan
is also to lay a wreath at the monument to the Unknown Warrior.

At the National Gallery of Foreign Art the Armenian and Bulgarian
Presidents are to attend the opening of an exhibition of collages by
Sergey Parajan ov. The RA President is also scheduled to visit the
Armenian Embassy in Bulgaria.

ARMENIAN PREMIER: RELATIONS WITH GEORGIA PRIORITY FOR ARMENIA

ARKA
Dec 9, 2008

TBILISI, December 9. /ARKA/. Relations with Georgia have a priority
meaning for Armenia, said RA Premier Tigran Sargsyan at the regular
sitting of Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic
cooperation in Tbilisi on Tuesday.

"I am sure the issues we will jointly consider will contribute to
improvement of bilateral relations between our nations," said Sargsyan.

He said the agreement reached by Armenian and Georgian Presidents
during the recent visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Tbilisi
(September 30 – October 1) served as stimulus for solving many issues.
Georgian Premier Grigol Mgaloblishvili stressed Armenian-Georgian
relations are well developing lately.

He said he hoped the sitting will boost existing bilateral relations.

A protocol will be signed at the end of the commission’s sitting.

The sides will also sign another protocol on amendments to
intergovernmental agreement on free trade as well as to Cooperation
program between Georgia’s Ministry of Culture, Protection of Monuments
and Sport and Armenian Ministry of Culture.

Armenian Prime Minister will have meetings with Georgian President
Mikhail Sahakashvili as well as with his Georgian counterpart Grigol
Mgaloblishvili during his stay in Tbilisi.

Armenian delegation members are Finance Minister Tigran Davtyan,
Economy Minister Nerses Yeritsyan, Energy and Natural Resources
0D Minister Armen Movsisyan, Diaspora minister Hranush Hakobyan,
Head of Government’s Staff David Sargsyan and President of National
Expenses Commission Gagik Khachatryan, as well as Hrant Beglaryan, the
First Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications, Deputy Foreign
Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, Deputy Agriculture inister Levon Rukhkyan,
Deputy Culture Minister Gagik Gyurjyan, Armenian Ambassador to Georgia
Hrach Silvanian, Deputy Vladimir Badalyan and other officials.

WASHINGTON’S ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION QUITE REAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2008 15:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The goal of the worldwide campaign for recognition
of the Armenian Genocide is the acknowledgement of this historical
fact by Turkey, ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office
Director said.

"The fact of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide is a
reality. Moreover, recognition by the new U.S. administration seems
quite possible now," Kiro Manoyan told a news conference today. "Turkey
is recommended to work hard to normalize relations with Armenia to
prevent such a scenario."

YEREVAN, TBILISI TO LAUNCH PROGRAM FOR CULTURAL COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2008 15:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Relations with Georgia are important for Armenia,
the RA Prime Minister said.

"The issues we discuss will facilitate deepening and expansion of
relations between our nations. Besides, the agreements sealed during
President Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Georgia promoted resolution of
a number of problems," Tigran Sargsyan said when opening a regular
meeting of the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission in
economic cooperation.

Fir his part, Georgian PM Grigol Mgaloblishvili said that the
Armenian-Georgian relations are developing. "I am hopeful this meeting
will convey an impulse to our partnership," he said.

The commission will sign a protocol on introduction of changes into the
intergovernmental agreement on free trade and a program of protection
of monuments, New Region reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: ARMENIA AND GEORGIA DON’T HAVE UNSOLVABLE PROBLEMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2008 17:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia and Georgia don’t have unsolvable problems,
the RA Prime Minister said.

"Maintenance of close relations between Armenia and Georgia is
the obligation of the governments. I am confident that our today’s
meeting will be a good basis for future relations," Tigran Sargsyan
said in Tbilisi.

The Prime Minister of Armenia and Georgia signed improved agreements
on free trade.

"Our relations are dynamically developing. We have considered a wide
scope of issues and I want to thank the Armenian delegation for the
work carried out," the Georgian PM said, for his part.

YEREVAN AND BAKU RECEIVED "TECHNICAL DOCUMENT" ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2008 17:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Foreign Ministers of Russia, France and the
U.S. handed a technical document, which can speed up the settlement
process, to the sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the OSCE MG
French Co-chair said.

"First of all, this document should be developed and
studied. Afterwards, it will be either approved or rejected,"
Ambassador Bernard Fassier said, adding that Armenia and Azerbaijan
were offered a schedule of coordination of the basic principles till
the end of the year.

"The latest meeting in Helsinki was useful. Foreign Ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan held 5-hour talks on the Karabakh issue,"
Fassier said.

ARMENIA, GEORGIA CONTINUE TALKS ON NEW MOTORWAY CONSTRUCTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.12.2008 19:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia and Georgia continue talks with international
financial institutions on construction of a new motorway to connect
the two countries, Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said after
a meeting of the Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on
economic cooperation.

"We welcome the project that will connect Ajaria and Samtskhe Javakheti
with Armenia. Serious activity will be launched to that end in the
near future," he said, Georgian media reports.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO LEAVE FOR BULGARIA

ARMENPRESS
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: With the invitation of the Bulgarian
President Georgi Prvanov, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is leaving
December 10 for Sofia on a two-day official visit. Presidential press
service told Armenpress that on the same day the official meeting
ceremony of the Armenian president and face-to-face conversation with
his Bulgarian counterpart Georgi Prvanov will take place.

The meeting will be followed by a Armenian-Bulgarian extended
negations, signing of a number of documents and press conference of
the two presidents. Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Georgi Prvanov will
adopt a joint Declaration on the results of the visit. It is also
expected to sign a declaration on conduction of Bulgarian cultural
days in Armenia in 2009 and conduction of Armenian cultural days
in Bulgaria in 2010. The two presidents will also take part in the
opening of Armenian-Bulgarian business forum.

During the two-day official visit the Armenian president will have a
working dinner with Bulgarian Prime Minister Sergey Stanishev, will
meet with the Chairman of the People’s Assembly Georgi Pirinski and
put a wreath on the memorial to the Unknown Soldier. In the national
gallery of foreign art Serzh Sargsyan and Georgi Prvanov will be
present at the opening of the exhibition of Sergey Parajanov’s
collages. Armenian president will also visit Armenian embassy in Sofia.

REPRESENTATIVE OF ARMENIA INCLUDED IN MONITORING BODY OF CONVENTION ON FIGHTING AGAINST TRAFFICKING

ARMENPRESS
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: For the oversight of the
implementation of Convention on fighting against human trafficking
a new group of experts (GRETA) has been set up. The committee of the
countries for the Convention which called sessions December 5 and 8 in
Strasbourg has selected 13 people who will work in GRETA from January
2009 with 4 year term. Among them is Gyulnara Shahinian representing
Armenia. The group also includes representatives of Bulgaria, Malta,
Cyprus, Croatia, Moldova, Norway, France, Slovakia, Denmark, Portugal,
Albania and Romania.

An official from the Council of Europe told Armenpress that GRETA
will use similar methodology as Council of Europe Oversight Bodies,
will publicize reports which will assess the events included in the
Convention on Fighting Against Human Trafficking. The Convention which
entered into force February 1, 2008 has been signed by 19 states and is
aimed at preventing the crime, protect victims and prosecute criminals.

ARMENIAN SPECIALISTS GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH U.S. EXPERIENCE OF FIGHTING AGAINST CORRUPTION

ARMENPRESS
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: The United States Department
of Justice held a conference on "Successful Techniques for the
Investigation and Prosecution of Corruption" in Yerevan on December
8-9.

Three U.S. prosecutors and three high-ranking U.S. police chiefs
joined by thirty Armenian prosecutors, ten investigators from the
special investigative service, ten police investigators, two National
Security Service officials, two officials of the tax service, two
customs officials, the Armenian representative to GRECO, and the
presidential aide on corruption issues participated in the event.

The American and Armenian law enforcement officials discussed
their countries’ respective approaches to fighting all forms of
corruption, including misconduct by police, judges, and other
high officials. Numerous investigation techniques were discussed
at the conference, including: the use of confidential informants,
undercover police officers, drug screening, financial investigations,
electronic surveillance, debriefing of police prisoners, and random
integrity tests.

U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch said that the conference
gives an opportunity to Armenian specialists to get acquainted with
the experience of USA in fighting against corruption. According to
her, fighting against corruption is a very important issue for the
solution of which a successive work must be carried out.